Latest KODO-Inspired Furniture at Milan Includes Sofa and Bicycle

Back in March, word broke that Mazda would be returning to Italy for Milan Design Week as a main sponsor of the Brera Design District’s Fuorisalone event. The automaker also announced plans to participate in the installation through its Mazda Design Space, a new venue which opened in February.

The latest installation event, “Mazda Design: The Car as Art,” opens today, April 14th, and remains open through the 19th. The exhibit includes two KODO-inspired furniture pieces on display during the 2015 Milan Design Week: a bicycle and a sofa.

These two furniture pieces are follow-ups to the popular KODO-inspired chair that appeared in 2013.

KODO – Soul of Motion Inspires Curvy Sofa and Bike

“Bike by KODO concept” captures the simple beauty of bicycles through minimalist construction. In fact, the frame is a single sheet of hammered steel covered in hand-stitched, black leather saddle. It’s meant to directly suggest the styling of the next-generation MX-5 Miata.

Mazda and Italian furniture craftsman worked together to create “Sofa by KODO concept.” The piece has a strong, traditional stance that suggests the prowess of the CX-3. Additional items on display include a KODO-inspired wine cooler (made from a single sheet of copper) and a lacquered box.

Mazda’s KODO – Soul of Motion design language depicts stationary objects with curves that suggest movement, like a wild animal about to pounce. The approach has gained the brand much acclaim in the past few years. The brand’s latest constructs attempt to capture two additional Japanese aesthetics: “RIN, a sense of self-restrained dignity, and EN, an alluring sensuality that speaks directly to the senses.”

“Over the past few years, design has become an essential part of who we are, adding an artistic value to the entire Mazda brand experience,” said Masahiro Moro, Mazda’s Managing Executive Officer. “As such, it only makes sense that we introduce our design messages here in Milan, a city of the apex of the design world, in order to elevate our brand image.”

Ultimately, the effort is intended to raise brand awareness by showing the appeal of Mazda’s design language, but it’s a stylish way to do so.